I’ve lived in Scotland now for over 40 years. It’s home, it’s special to me, I chose it and love it. Why? I love the folk (or the majority of the ones I’ve meet – not everywhere’s perfect!), the humour, the music, the scenery, the history, the wildlife and the changeability (seasons, geology, weather, habitat . . . .) and my grandma came from here.
As for the outdoor life – it can be amazing. I live in the lowlands of Scotland, but within 15 minutes or less I could be cycling, hill walking, surfing, loch & river canoeing, mountain biking, rock climbing, sailing, land yachting, sea canoeing, bird watching, skiing (sometimes), fossil hunting, castle spotting, beach combing etc. etc. etc. Round about are volcanics, sandstones, slates & coal seams, glacial tilt (puddingstone), limestones (with lime kilns & fossils), and the much older graywracke of the Lammermuir hills. Quite a mix in just a few miles. No wonder John Muir was inspired by his boyhood here.
South to the borders are some impressive hills & rivers plus lovely old towns & villages ( and more castles). Go West and Edinburgh & Glasgow beckon with so many attractions. Go North & you’re into the highlands, western side for the truly spectacular landscapes, but more midges & wet more generally, eastern side for the bigger hills of the Cairngorms & more subtle nooks & crannies.
For me, as a born again cyclist, the country is just amazing, with forests, good climbs, amazing scenery and fabulous sights. To back up this claim I’ve randomly added a few of the many 1,000s of photographs I’ve taken over the aeons. I hope you enjoy them. There’s a wee video cycling through Glen Lyon here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOWm0oUgoiw

Robert Burns statue – ‘The Birks o’ Aberfeldy’ – Birks are beech trees

View north from Beinn Heasgarnach

Canoeing on the Tweed

Falkirk Wheel & maquette for huge horses – the wheel lifts canal boats up

Glen Tress – while mountain biking

Glencoe in autumn

On the Culloden Sportive, Grampian Mountain Range behind

Loch Tay with the reconstructed crannog

Side of a house in Killin

Ski touring in our local hills – the Lammermuirs

off Lismore island looking to the mainland, west coast

A solo trip to Loch Quoich, doing some winter mountaineering as well

Derelict fishing boats, Isle of Mull

Mull cliffs on a cycle trip, the road goes right round the bottom on the raised beach

Cycling hazards – a highland coo

Our local hills in summer

Cold War relic – a local nuclear shelter (with a nuclear power station & cement works behind)

Lachlan Macquarrie, ‘Father of Australia’ buried on Mull

Filming ‘Sunshine on Leith’ in Leith, Edinburgh

Tartan Tat on sale in Edinburgh (accompanied by loud excruciating bagpipe music)

One of our local castles – Hailes – has a bottle dungeon & doocot inside

Instructing – clients practising cramponing on a Winter Skills Course